Information Sheet #1.
1-1
PART OF SPEECH
Learning Objectives:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to:
1. Knows the different parts of speech;
2. Understand the proper use of language,
3. Used correct parts of speech in communication process;
Introduction:
Speech is human vocal communication using language. Each language
uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the
sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French
words, even if they are the same word, e.g., "role" or "hotel"), and using those
words in their semantic character as words in the lexicon of
a language according to the syntactic constraints that govern lexical words'
function in a sentence. In speaking, speakers perform many different
intentional speech acts, e.g., informing, declaring, asking, persuading,
directing, and can use enunciation, intonation, degrees of loudness, tempo,
and other non-representational or paralinguistic aspects of vocalization to
convey meaning. In their speech speakers also unintentionally communicate
many aspects of their social position such as sex, age, place of origin
(through accent), physical states (alertness and sleepiness, vigor or weakness,
health or illness), psychic states (emotions or moods), physico-psychic states
(sobriety or drunkenness, normal consciousness and trance states), education
or experience, and the like.
PARTS OF SPEECH
There are eight parts of speech in the English language: noun, pronoun, verb,
adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. The part of speech
indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within
the sentence. An individual word can function as more than one part of speech
when used in different circumstances. Understanding parts of speech is
essential for determining the correct definition of a word when using the
dictionary.
1. NOUN
A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.
Example: Man, Butte College, house, happiness
A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns are often used with
an article (the, a, an), but not always. Proper nouns always start with a capital
letter; common nouns do not. Nouns can be singular or plural, concrete or
abstract. Nouns show possession by adding 's. Nouns can function in different
roles within a sentence; for example, a noun can be a subject, direct object,
indirect object, subject complement, or object of a preposition.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then
she quickly disappeared. Oh my!
2. PRONOUN
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.
Example She, we, they, it.
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. A pronoun is usually substituted
for a specific noun, which is called its antecedent. In the sentence above, the
antecedent for the pronoun she is the girl. Pronouns are further defined by
type: personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things; possessive
pronouns indicate ownership; reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize
another noun or pronoun; relative pronouns introduce a subordinate clause;
and demonstrative pronouns identify, point to, or refer to nouns.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and
then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!
3. VERB
A verb expresses action or being.
Example: jump, is, write, become
The verb in a sentence expresses action or being. There is a main verb and
sometimes one or more helping verbs. ("She can sing." Sing is the main
verb; can is the helping verb.) A verb must agree with its subject in number
(both are singular or both are plural). Verbs also take different forms to express
tense.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she
quickly disappeared. Oh my!
4. ADJECTIVE
An adjective modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.
Example: pretty, old, blue, smart.
An adjective is a word used to modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. It
usually answers the question of which one, what kind, or how many. (Articles
[a, an, the] are usually classified as adjectives.)
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she
quickly disappeared. Oh my!
5. ADVERB
An adverb modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another
adverb.
Example: gently, extremely, carefully, well
An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, but
never a noun. It usually answers the questions of when, where, how, why,
under what conditions, or to what degree. Adverbs often end in -ly.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher,
and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!
6. PREPOSITION
A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a
phrase modifying another word in the sentence.
Example: by, with, about, until
(By the tree, with our friends, about the book, until tomorrow)
A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase
modifying another word in the sentence. Therefore a preposition is always part
of a prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrase almost always functions as
an adjective or as an adverb. The following list includes the most common
prepositions:
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she
quickly disappeared. Oh my!
7. CONJUNCTION
A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.
Example and, but, or, while, because.
A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses, and indicates the relationship
between the elements joined. Coordinating conjunctions connect grammatically
equal elements: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. Subordinating conjunctions
connect clauses that are not equal: because, although, while, since, etc. There
are other types of conjunctions as well.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she
quickly disappeared. Oh my!
8. INTERJECTION
An interjection is a word used to express emotion.
Example: Oh! Wow! Oops!
An interjection is a word used to express emotion. It is often followed by an
exclamation point.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she
quickly disappeared. Oh my!
